Jewish Heritage Tours 12 Day 2018/2019

A distinct combination of historical, educational and exciting sites for you to experience. 11 nights’ accommodations and 8 days touring; our amazing guides in a deluxe motor coach, as per itinerary. Highlights of your tour include: The Dead Sea, Yad Vashem, Safed, a Dinner at Kibbutz Lavi, a Jeep Tour in the Galilee and so much more.

Wednesday

Ben Gurion Airport / Tel Aviv

Arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, where you will be met by a ITC representative and transferred to your hotel.

Overnight in Tel Aviv.

2

Thursday

Independence Hall / Latrun / Beit Guvrin / Ayalon Institute

Start the day with a visit to the Independence Hall where the establishment of the state of Israel was declared; Next, drive to Latrun to visit the Armored Corps memorial museum also considered as one of the most diverse tank museums in the world. Continue to Beit Guvrin national park, declared by UNESCO as a world heritage site; Explore parts of the archaeological remains and unique caves. Proceed to Ayalon Institute, once a secret underground ammunition factory established by the "Haganah", the Jewish underground movement before May 1948.

Overnight in Tel-Aviv.

3

Friday

Tel-Aviv / Diaspora Museum / Old Jaffa

Visit the Diaspora museum; Drive around the main streets of Tel Aviv, center of business and entertainment of Israel; Also known as the "White City" , Tel-Aviv was declared by UNESCO as a world cultural heritage site for its Bauhaus style buildings. Stop at Rabin's Square, place of assassination of Prime Minister Itzhak Rabin. Continue to Old Jaffa, one of the oldest port cities in the world; Visit the ancient ruins and walk along the Artist's Quarter. Visit Neve Tzedek, the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv, built in 1887 and Nahalat Benyamin, the pedestrian mall of the city where you can enjoy live street music, arts, crafts and handmade jewelery. Next, stop at Sheinkin, the lively and colorful street specially known with the unique shops, café life and youthful ambiance.

Overnight in Tel-Aviv.

4

Saturday

At leisure

Overnight Tel-Aviv.

5

Sunday

Caesarea / Haifa / Acre / Rosh Hanikra

Drive north to Caesarea, once the Roman capital of the region; see the excavations of the Crusaders' city, the aqueduct and the amphitheatre that has been restored as a concert venue. Proceed to Haifa to visit the Clandestine Immigration and Naval museum ("Af al Pi Chen") and hear the story of the illegal immigrants to Israel at the time of the British mandate. Drive to Acre, the Old City recognized by UNESCO as world heritage site; walk through the old port and local market. Continue to Rosh Hanikra; descend by cable car into the underwater grottoes and admire the spectacular natural formation.

Overnight at a Kibbutz guesthouse.

6

Monday

Safed / Golan Heights / Tel-Hai

Drive to Safed, one of the four holy cities in Israel, center of the Kaballa movement; visit the Caro and Ari synagogues; stroll through the narrow alleyways and visit the picturesque Artists' quarter. Next, enjoy a Jeep tour at the foots of the Golan. Continue to the Golan Heights; stop at Gadot overlook, the memorial for the fallen of the Golan, located over former Syrian bunkers; view the monument built in honor of the Alexandroni brigade. Proceed for a magnificient observation point over the city of Kuneitra, and the Syrian territory. Drive to Tel-Hai; see the “Roaring Lion” monument and learn about the heroic battle of Josef Trumpeldor and his comrades in 1920. Meet with a Kibbutz member and learn about their unique lifestyle.

Overnight at a Kibbutz guesthouse.

7

Tuesday

Tiberias / Beit Shean / Beit Alpha / Gan Hashlosha / Jerusalem

Drive to Tiberias to visit Rambam’s grave; Continue through the Jordan valley to Beit Shean, known as "Scythopolis" , and see the fascinating excavated remains from Roman and Byzantine periods. Stop at Beit Alpha to admire the beautiful mosaic floor of a synagogue discovered in 1929. Visit Gan Hashlosha national park and enjoy the warm spring water pools and waterfalls. Continue via the Jordan valley to Jerusalem; stop at Mount Scopus for a blessing as you enter the city.

Overnight in Jerusalem.

8

Wednesday

Visit the Tomb of King David on Mt. Zion. Walk along the Cardo, heart of the ancient Roman City; visit the four Sepharadic Synagogues restored after 1967 war in the Jewish quarter; tour the Western Wall Tunnels ; visit the archaeological park at Davidson Center; walk through the colorful local bazaar to visit theTower of David museum presenting the history of Jerusalem and ancient remains of the city beginning with the first temple period.

Overnight in Jerusalem.

9

Thursday

Yad Vashem / Mt. Herzl / Ammunition Hill / Israel Museum

Enjoy seeing the Bar-Mitzvah ceremonies at the Kotel. Drive through Mea Shearim, one of the oldest Jewish neighborhoods in Jerusalem and learn about the unique lifestyle of the ultra orthodox communities. Proceed to Mount Herzl , the military cemetery, and Yad Vashem the memorial to the Holocaust. Visit the Ammunition Hill, a former Jordanian army stronghold , conquered by the Israeli army in the six day war, and converted into a national memorial site and museum. Drive by the Knesset, Israel’s parliament and see the Menorah with the biblical emblems. Next visit Israel Museum, the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea scrolls are housed, and the Holyland model, a miniature replica of Jerusalem as it was during the second temple period.

Overnight in Jerusalem.

10

Friday

Qumeran /Massada / Dead Sea

Drive through the Judean desert to the Dead Sea, the lowest point on earth. Visit Qumeran ,where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Continue to Massada, ascend by cable car and tour the mountain fortress built by King Herod, where the Zealots made their last stand against the Romans ; visit the remains of the walls, palaces, synagogue and bathhouse; descend by cable car. Next, stop for Lunch and Spa facilities in one of the leading hotels in the area and enjoy a "Swim" in the mineral rich Dead Sea.